HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ)首先公开揭示了在上周的安全分析师会议上启动金属3D打印的计划。
尽管活动中提供的详细信息很少，但3D打印行业对正在开发的技术和参与的团队具有独家见解 - 在计划于2018年的官方公告之前。
高级管理层的举动
HP’s metal additive manufacturing project will be led by蒂姆·韦伯who has held the job title Global Head ofHP的3D打印材料和高级应用。
Cheryl MacLeod接任HP的3D融合科学负责人。韦伯和麦克劳德都位于惠普的俄勒冈州Corvallis。麦克劳德（MacLeod）拥有20多年在惠普（HP）工作的经验，并将负责继续努力为HP的Multi Jet Fusion 3D打印系统带来颜色。
HP provided a number of photo’s of 3D prints made with -the as of yet- unnamed process.
最明显的是，目前正在招聘金属粉专家/一个dditive Manufacturing Sintering Expert to “铅HPS对Corvallis的金属3D打印的调查。
HP和金属注塑成型3D打印
一个发布从2017年9月上旬开始，HP的职业网站的标题为“ MIM Powder Expert”。最近，该位置稍作修改，是发表在LinkedIn上 - 为经常重复的故事提供了有关3D印刷行业中适当人才的短缺的进一步支持。
尽管惠普不会公开确认金属3D系统的详细信息，包括预期的运输日期和涉及的特定技术，但众所周知，该系统将针对高量而不是高价值制造。
Specifically the aerospace market will not be key to the success of the HP metal 3D printing system. The rigorous qualification and certification processes within aerospace are challenging to OEM’s producing metal powder bed fusion 3D printing, furthermore this is not a vertical where MIM based 3D printing methods are likely to find success.
对于苛刻的应用，例如航空航天，通过选择性激光熔化或烧结制造的组件的质量，强度和几何复杂性非常有价值。但是，在其他行业中 - 这种金属AM工艺可能过度杀伤。
This is where companies such as Desktop Metal, Markforged, 3DEO and most recentlyDigital Metalhave sought to promote their metal injection molding (MIM) powder based 3D printing systems.
MIM粉基3D打印
The rapid increase of companies operating in a space previously held by ExOne has seenunicorn status bestowed on a company yet to ship a 3D printer。这是把蜜蜂n beneficial to the industry as a whole, asonce againexternal validation via investment has given confidence to what those in the industry have long known – the future is additive!
MIM粉末供应链比在激光或电子束3D打印中使用的球形金属粉末的较小的市场更加完善 - 粉末也便宜。同样，对于大容量应用，MIM粉似乎可能是HP金属3D打印机的候选者。
MIM粉末3D打印技术是一个多阶段的过程，首先通过喷墨打印头将粘合剂施加到金属粉末上，以生产绿色的零件。然后需要使用炉子的烧结阶段。
It is understood that the HP metal 3D printing process is patented, however it is not clear whether this patent has been granted – or whether the patent is in use under license. It is most probable that when HP makes their announcement in 2018, the term MIM will not be used as the company seeks to differentiate their technology through a combination of technical innovation, but also a degree of marketing.
Market reaction to the news saw HP shares leap by almost 8%. While 3D Systems(NYSE:DDD)股票下跌了近10％，从新闻前的13.11美元到当前的价格低于12美元。
有关3D印刷行业的更多见解，sign up to our newsletter和关注我们活跃的社交媒体渠道。Let us know your thoughts about HP’s move in metal 3D printing in the comments below.
特色图片显示HP Multijet Fusion 3D打印零件在PA12中 - 不在金属中。迈克尔·皮奇（Michael Petch）的照片。
